Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Wednesday, 20 April 2022 00:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena
Party leaders will meet tomorrow to discuss proposals to introduce the 21st Amendment to the Constitution which the Government has proposed as an urgent measure to strengthen Parliament’s control of public finance.
The decision to call for proposals from all parties was taken at a meeting held on Monday presided by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told Parliament yesterday that the plan is to reintroduce the 19th Amendment to the Constitution with some amendments to replace the 20th Amendment as a short-term measure to deal with the unfolding economic, political, and social problems in the country.
UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe submitted his proposals to be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting to the House which includes the setting up of several parliamentary committees to strengthen Parliament's control of public finances. Other party leaders were requested to submit their proposals by Thursday.
The Speaker said a number of party leaders have expressed the view that a new constitution should be drafted as a long-term solution to the current unrest among the people and the 21st Amendment to the Constitution should be passed by Parliament based on the urgent need to strengthen the power of Parliament as a short term as well as an immediate solution.
Among the proposals were discussed, such as amending the Constitution and related laws to subject Ministers and MPs to the supervision of the Auditor General, making relevant amendments to allow the Auditor General to audit political parties, prohibiting the procurement of goods and services without bidding for Government contracts, amending legislation to allow the Government to seize assets which are found to have been illegally deposited in foreign banks or financial institutions by politicians and their relatives or public servants, prohibit dual citizens from being elected to Parliament and the presidency.
